


All Through the Night

by gaslightgallows (hearts_blood)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Kid Loki and Kid Thor (Marvel), Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Pre-Thor (2011), Prompt Fill, Protective Frigga (Marvel), Protective Older Brothers, Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 13:39:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14045421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearts_blood/pseuds/gaslightgallows
Summary: Loki’s always had nightmares. Thor has always been a light sleeper.





	All Through the Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lizardbeth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizardbeth/gifts).



> Written for Lizardbeth, for the prompt “Bro… that’s so… not cool” (Thor and Loki). Yeah, not where I thought that prompt would go, either. ;) Originally, I was just going to leave this in my prompt fic collection, but it was too cute not to post as a standalone. 
> 
> If you're on Tumblr, please consider following me at [gaslightgallows.tumblr.com](http://gaslightgallows.tumblr.com) for more fic, reblogs about writing, and lots of randomness. Thank you for reading and especially for commenting. Comments are love. ♥

For a jumbled, confused second, Thor couldn’t understand why he had woken. It was still night, his bedroom was dark, and he hadn’t heard anything... Then he sat bolt-upright in bed. “Who’s there?” he demanded, his boyish voice full of stubborn, sleepy challenge. “What coward would attack a prince of Asgard in his bed? Show yourself!”

From the shadows came a halting whisper. “Thor?”

“...Loki?” Thor groaned and flopped back on his pillows. “Loki, I’ve told you, don’t _do_ that! What if I’d had a weapon?”

“I-I’m sorry, I only thought...”

His voice quavered tremulously, and all of Thor’s bravado vanished. He reached for the light globe beside his bed, which bathed his chamber in a soft golden glow and revealed Loki standing barefoot near the door, clutching a worn, faded green blanket in his small hands. “Brother, what’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream,” Loki admitted, hanging his head in shame. “Again.”

“Another one?” Loki nodded miserably. “Oh, you and your nightmares...” Thor yawned and scrubbed his hand through his tousled, shaggy blond hair, and then shifted over in bed and turned back the blankets. “Come here.”

Loki’s weary face lit up, and he hurried forward and clambered into bed next to his brother. Thor made sure he had his favorite blanket (the same blanket that had covered Loki in his cradle), tucked the covers around him, and then turned off the light again. “What was it this time?” he asked, putting his arms around Loki and snuggling close.

“I was lost,” Loki said, his voice soft and small. “In a terrible blizzard. The winds were howling and screaming around me, and I was blinded by the snow. And I kept shouting for help, for someone to come and find me... But the wind was too loud. No one heard me. No one came.”

A lump rose hard and painful in Thor’s throat, at the thought of his beloved baby brother so cold and lost and alone. “It was only a dream,” he reassured. “Not real. And not possible. Do you think that I or Father or Mother would ever leave you to wander alone in a snow storm? Or anywhere else?”

“I suppose not,” said Loki, after a moment.

“Good.” Thor hugged him. “Now sleep. Nothing can harm you while I am here.”

Loki turned over and snuggled against Thor’s chest, and closed his eyes.

A little time later, after both boys were fast asleep once more, a shadow slipped quietly into Thor’s chamber and stooped over the bed, smiling to find her younger son held so protectively in the arms of the elder.

Frigga stroked the hair from their foreheads and kissed each of them in turn. Neither child stirred under her gentle hand, but the warmth and love in her touch made themselves felt in their dreams.

*** 

Thor sat straight up in bed, breathing hard. But he wasn’t sure why, at first. It was the middle of the _Statesman's_ night-cycle and he was sure he had been sound asleep...

He dug the heel of his hand into his eye socket for a second or two, to steady himself. When he looked up again, he saw a shadow in the corner of his quarters where no shadow ought to be, even in the dead of night, and the mighty Thor, king of Asgard, let out a brief, terrified yelp.

The shadow spoke. “Sorry, sorry!” it whispered hastily.

“Loki!” Thor sighed loudly and sagged against his pillows. “Brother! That’s... so not cool! What have I told you about scaring me awake?”

“I’m sorry.” And not only did Loki sound apologetic, he sounded embarrassed as hell. 

“You’re lucky I’m still a light sleeper.”

“I swear I didn’t mean to... I only thought...”

Something faraway stirred in the back of Thor's mind. “What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching for the light controls. The low glow revealed Loki, barefoot and clad in light nightclothes, his face pale and drawn. There were deep circles beneath his eyes.

“It’s nothing, really,” he said, running a hand through his tangled black hair, “but I-I’ve been having some trouble sleeping, the past few nights, and I was wondering if you’d mind...”

Thor immediately made room in the bed for his brother.

They were out of practice with sharing a bed, and both of them were much larger than they had been the last time Loki had asked for his brother’s help in sleeping, but soon they had settled their limbs in comfortable positions, and Loki relaxed enough against Thor’s chest for Thor to put his arms around his brother and cuddle him protectively.

“This feels very familiar,” Thor rumbled, smiling against Loki’s hair.

“So it does,” said Loki softly. Then, “Though it won’t be the same without Mother creeping in to check on us after we’re asleep.”

“I know. So...” Thor brushed the hair from Loki’s face and pressed a kiss to his brother’s forehead. “Sleep, Loki. I’m here. Nothing can harm you now.”

Loki sighed, and slept.


End file.
